A Jane Eyre Christmas
by Commander of Brontdor
Summary: How Jane and Edward would have spent their first Christmas, intending to cover: extending of Jane and Edwards relationship, Jane's feelings as she enjoys family for the first time in contrast with unsuspected reminders of her unhappy childhood
1. A Snowflaked Day

**Story is set on the first Christmas of Jane's marriage, which (in the story) was only a month or two ahead from their wedding day. Diana and Mary aren't married yet. More chapters to come**

The sight of the gay flicker of snow merrily fluttering past the window made Jane's heart swirl with joy and anticipation, her first Christmas with her _family_, with a chance to bask in true festive spirits, not simply sampling it with a sip of sherry at the teachers' table at night, as were the height of Lowood's celebratory gestures.

She gasped as she felt a tiny sprig of Mistletoe shuffle against her head, "Merry Christmas, Mrs Rochester" whispered her husband in hushed excitement. Not seeing why she should contain her giddiness, she whipped round to face him and slipped the Mistletoe out of his hand, cocking it above both their heads. "And Merry Christmas to you, _Mr_ Rochester" she said teasingly as she granted him a tender kiss.

"I cannot wait" she said as he settled back down beside her and she turned to face him, stroking his hair as they talked "for you to meet Diana and Mary, how wonderful it will be to sit around a Christmas table… As a _family_!" The last part of this sentence would have been squealed if Jane had not kept herself in check. "Hmm" Edward grinned, adoring the new sense of thrilled happiness he heard in his wife's voice "and Adele, too will be overjoyed, mostly at the thought of having gifts and sweetmeats showered upon her!" and at this he chuckled with endearing regard to the little ward. "And what about Mrs Fairfax? John and Leah, surely they must join us. The Turkey's certainly big enough, and there is still food unused and still fresh from – "

She cut herself off before Edward finished for her "from when I never took supper when you were gone".

She gazed at him with apologetic concern as he half-smiled and turned his face to one side.

"It's over" she whispered, caressing his face. "And anyway" she said, reinforcing a more uplifting tone "the Christmas supper you have coming to you will make up for any missed dinner in the past!"

He dropped his head back to face her: now he was smiling. "Is it snowing?" he whispered, his eyes beaming with a childlike hope. "Yes, merry little feathers are whirling downward in a soft, fluttering fashion, as if they are happily eager to lie on the earth" Jane replied as the concentration of trying to imagine what this scene may look like strained in Edward's eyes. "Just as you are eager to descend from heaven to melt in the warmth of your new found family" he smiled, beckoning her to lie in his arms.

She felt his good hand ascend, brushing warmly up her waist, chest and shoulder and skim her hair, smoothing it from her ear as he whispered, with happiness, sincerity and a hint of seductiveness: "lie with me, my little snowflake".

She slid onto him to devour his look of loving yearn with matching intensity. Nearing his lips, she whispered "my love…"

It was two hours before they descended to breakfast.


	2. A Chance of Clouds

The red tints of cheeriness in Mrs Fairfax's cheeks were tinged with a blooming anxiety as Jane and Edward entered the dining room to witness her struggles in keeping the dainty branches of holly that had been elegantly arranged in a crystal vase from scratching the polished windows and tethering the smoothed curtains. "Mrs Fairfax, in order to sustain this fitful energy of yours, you must eat something" Edward laughed as she slowly pressed the branches upward, as if trying to encourage their growth to dome outward and join in the centre.

"Oh, I've 'ad my breakfast, Sir, just tyin' up a few loose ends 'ere, then I'll be on me way" she replied, concentration bubbling in her tone. "That will be enough, Mrs Fairfax" sad Jane, placing a hand on the old widow's shoulder, "They look lovely". The widow glanced sceptically at the branches before shuffling from the room. "The dear woman always gets like this during Christmas, bustling about eager to please! My father used to get quite vexed at her dallying".

Jane sat down, preparing to speedily eat her breakfast "you can hardly blame her, Diana and Mary will be arriving soon, we must get prepared"

"Prepared!" he cried "never mind about them, I demand to know what you desire as a Christmas gift".

He was smirking excitedly, mischievously as he dipped his crust in the butter block on the table. Jane slid on to his lap and gazed sincerely.

"I want Mary and Diana to join us at the table for-" she was cut off as Edward chuckled "I want to hear requests of…" he bit his lip lightly as he playfully considered candidate gifts "Encyclopedia?" he declared.

Jane smiled but said nothing as she heaved herself off his lap and set the used plates aside

"Art materials..?" His tone growing more demanding with frustrated curiosity.

Laughter tickled her windpipe

"Jane? Are you still there?" He began to paw the air and the humour in Jane's heart slid away.

"I'm still here" she said, catching his hand and smoothing her thumb rhythmically over his fingers.

"Perhaps my right hand would suffice for a gift..?" he muttered, not intended to reach her ears.

Jane led him to stand before her and linked her arms around his neck, pulling him snugly close to her

"You still have your feet" she whispered "you could teach me how to dance?"

A chuckle broke through the hard melancholy on his face as he slid his arms around her waist and moved their bodies in unison.

Mary and Diana arrived cheery to the point of madness and clothed in a modest charm,

"It has been so good to get away from the school" Mary exclaimed, "they're all so giddy at Christmas, they don't care for German or Mathematics".

"Oh never mind that" said Diana, linking arms with Jane as the three of them walked through the Courtyard "where's this new husband?"

"He's in the drawing room, there's a fire well set for you to warm yourselves from the cold

"You said in your letter" said Mary, looking at the ground awkwardly "he had had an accident?"

Entering the door to the hall, Jane looked at her curiously "he is blind and his right hand missing". Sympathy and a nervous discomfort poured in their eyes as they made their way down the corridor and came to the door of the drawing room, a discomfort that Jane had failed to detect.


	3. A Foggy Evening

Diana and Mary had shuffled in behind Jane, who had confidently marched in to the room and had grown used, even warmly fond of seeing the black silhouette of Edward slouched in his armchair.

"Is that them?" He said, turning his head round sharply. To Diana and Mary his voice at that moment had a barking tone, causing them to exchange a hesitant glance as they inched forward

"Mr Rochester at last…" Diana's happy tone soon shrunk to a shocked silence as the women caught sight of Edward's scarred visage and cut limb. This Jane could not miss.

With stubborn determination, Edward stuck out his left hand to shake theirs, which they did so, attempting as best they could to mask their surprise at the stark contrast of Jane's new husband to the men that they had been exposed to, to the likes of St John and Rosamud Oliver.

"Jane has told us told us that, like her, you admire Byron" said Mary, laughing slightly "I admire him also, but he can hardly be a fitting subject for the calm morning breakfasts we enjoy at the school"

"I disagree utterly with my sister" said Diana, struggling slightly to avert her gaze from Edward's sewn up eye, "the subject of human love and desire ought to be experienced by ones self alone, not to have it articulated by rhymes, it is patronising to our own hearts, that must maintain its own eloquence through _feelings_"

Jane smiled broadly as she glanced at Edward's anticipated reaction; he straightened up, roused by a chance to defend Byron, "but a poet may articulate the hearts natural eloquence with words which bloom through the nourishment of human thought and pondering, Wordsworth himself put it as the spontaneous overflow of powerful feelings: it takes its origin from emotion recollected in tranquility", and with that tranquillity, these emotions that we are so fond of can breathe with understanding and comprehension".

While speaking so, a warm smile curled on his face, one that often came up when he was enthused or interested in the conversation. She saw Diana and Mary's faces blossom with relaxation and relief as they bathed in it.

Discussion and debate ensued, Edward speaking with passion and stubbornness, Diana and Mary with enthused intensity, and Jane with firm and strong conviction, her heart blistering with love all the while.

Their conversations carried on into the evening, the flow wafting in and out of phases of different intensity and briefly but happily interrupted by a supper of mulled wine and buttered thick white bread, until finally, with soaked cinnamon sticks laid across the table, retired to their bedchambers.

"They adored you" Jane whispered as she aided Edward out of his clothes in their bedchamber "Mary and St. John used to get in such arguments over Byron! She was delighted to find someone who agreed with her on the power of his sonnets".

"I can see why you are so compatible with them" he replied, printing his hand around the table beside him.

"What are you looking for?" Jane asked, arresting his hand in hers momentarily.

"My wine, did I not bring it with me?" he replied

"We shouldn't have it at night…" said Jane cautiously "but since the evening went so well, I am in no mood to refuse it".

She walked to the door, laughing inwardly as she heard him teasingly say "come back soon".

Approaching the heavy living room door, she saw it was ajar, a thin sliver of light slicing into the corridor fell upon her as she peered through the slender crack to spy whoever was there at such a late hour.

She saw the curled up, weary looking figure of Diana Rivers, a thoughtful, solemn look on her face.


	4. A Moonlit Night

Unafraid, Jane slid the door open "Diana?" she whispered "couldn't you sleep?"

Diana whirled her head round, Jane's voice clearly cutting through her thoughts abruptly "Jane?" she said, as if surprised at registering her into the scene.

"Your eyes are red…" Jane replied, sitting down beside her and looking gravely concerned. Diana rubbed her face.

"I'm sorry, Jane" she said sadly "you sensed our discomfort with Edward to begin with, couldn't you?"

Jane shuffled in reply and said nothing

"We were just… surprised, you had mentioned his wounds in your letters, but face to face, he was such a stark contrast to-"

Jane's eyes flicked to Diana's "to St. John?" Jane finished

Diana's face fell "when St. John proposed to you, Mary and I confessed to each other that you and he were… rather suited, your devotion to god, your intellect"

Jane sat back, rather surprised

"but you and Edward are so happy together… It is you and _he_ who are truly suited"

here she stopped, wrung her hands and, in her eyelids grew tiny pools of water

"I can't help wishing that I suited someone that way".

"Is there no one at home that you are even interested in..?" Jane asked soothingly.

Diana laughed "there is a man… A navy officer". She smiled warmly

"What's his name?" Jane asked, sitting back happily.

"Arthur Fitzjames" Diana replied "a noble name!" Jane laughed

"He is noble… very gallant, but the female company he is used to far surpassed me".

Jane told Mary of the party at Thornfield, how she felt stamped out of Mr Rochester's romantic consideration with the arrival of Blanche Ingram, how she attempted to face the acceptance that she should surrender her feelings to idiocy, and how impossible she found it.

The conversation was finished with a firm, determined sentence from Jane

"Write to him". A smile and a nod was the answer.

When she returned to the bedchamber, Edward was sprawled in bed under the covers, his clothes clumsily removed. Prepared for bed, she watched his peaceful slumber a while, she kissed his lips softly and tucked herself in beside him, curling her arm around his waist to be greeted by his hand, twitching slightly before covering hers in a gentle warmth. Never had he felt so precious to her


	5. A Rosy Dawn

After a week of festive preparation, the furtive hiding of gifts and helping the servants decorate the tree, the flutter of eyelids eased open that morning to Christmas eve day, Jane, already up and dressed knelt beside Edward's sleeping form to have him do the same. Knowing he would stubbornly resist waking, she put into effect the tradition she always used to activate him in the early hours: nuzzling her head into his neck and nibbling gently, waiting for the mischievous grin to twitch onto his face. "It's Christmas eve morning" she said, taking a tone of urgency as she quickly sprung into action "come, we must go early if we are to get to town".

Grumbling, Edward swung round in his bed "why must we go to Millcote? What is in Millcote?" he said, his voice gruff with sleep. "We arranged it with Diana and Mary last night, remember? To buy gifts in town?" Edward's arm was cast off his eyes as, with an exagerated sigh, he dropped his feet to the floor and arose.

The sound of the knocker being rattled against the main door reverberated softly through the house. Hearing it, Jane and Edward's heads swivelled in the direction of it as they heard Mrs Fairfax promptly shuffle down the corridor to answer the unexpected caller.

The old woman opened it to a dignified young gentleman whose sensible, intelligent eyes were shot through with hesitation and embarrassment but managing to retain his upright and efficient posture which hinted military discipline

"…Ferndean Manor..?" he stuttered

Mrs Fairfax nodded cheerfully, "Can I help you, sir?" she asked.

A gulp and a nod was the answer "I'm terribly sorry to disturb, I believe you have a Ms. Diana Rivers staying here..."

"You wish to see her?" replied Mrs Fairfax, suspicion swelling within her.

Another nod "I would be most grateful if you would take me to her, my name is Mr Arthur Fitzjames".

* * *

Their features were wrought with seriousness as Diana and Fitzjames stood in the drawing room together. After a while avoiding each others gazes and directing their vision to the carpet, Diana dashed her eyes to his and stared, half smiling at him "you received my letter" she said, gesturing to it as he held it tightly in his hand.

He smoothed the crease ridden paper over with his thumb and replied faintly "… Yes".

Silence now washed into the air "Diana – " he started, but was cut off with an eager, premature exclamation from her in reply to his sudden speaking "Mr Fitzjames?"

He laughed slightly, approaching her by a few steps "call me Arthur".

Diana raised one eyebrow, surprised by his submitting to the informality that he rarely allowed himself "I'm not used at all to using your first name"

A fire sparked his eyes as he reached her in a few strides, softly enfolding her hand in his, the letter sliding in their grip to nestle in between their fingers

"I'd like you to call me Arthur" he whispered, each word quivering with a timid passion

"And perhaps, for me to call you Diana… Or, on some days, "darling", or "sweetheart"...?"

He gazed at her as she joked warmly, "Would you ever let yourself stoop to such friendliness? I don't think there are any military equivalents to "darling" or "sweetheart""

"Well" he laughed as he swept his hand to her neck and caressed it gently "on _all_ days, I would like to call you, if you'd allow it, my wife".

Diana's eyes welled with happiness. She felt the tenseness of his mind relieve at seeing her response.

A kiss sealed the agreement.


	6. A Stormy Day

The day at town was filled with merriment, the red and green of festive joy washed the town in wreaths, mistletoe sprigs and holly. At the centre of the town, beneath the snow framed clock tower with a charmingly authentic nativity set, the group arranged to bustle off in different directions, Edward and Arthur ploughing their way through the west, whilst the women passed through the white street which whipped to the east of town.

"I think it terribly unfair of your new husband to leave you such little time to think about what he'd like for Christmas!" Mary joked, casting her eyes over the carefully decorated array of Christmas cards as they passed through the tinselled archway of a shop.

"We know all we can about each other" said Diana, straightening up as she spied a charming silk Cravat of a deep forest green, lined thinly with a burgundy thread.

Whilst pondering the bow ties, Jane felt a warm awkwardness as she felt the emotion in Diana's barely muttered words reignite the memories of one of her and Edward's honeymoon nights in Morocco, as they sipped the native grown Tea and had asked each other endless questions of such small matters, favourite colours, favourite plants, all within the background of orange African skies.

"Jane?" Mary whispered, shuffling near to her to whisper clandestinely "do you know that woman over by the silk ribbons? She keeps casting her eyes over here in our direction".

Jane lifted her gaze to a woman richly bedecked in ruffled purple taffeta, an elaborate white flower twisted in her glistening black hair.

"I _do _know her" said Jane in reluctant admittance that she failed to mask

"Her name is Blanche Ingram, she was one of Edward's potential suitors at Thornfield".

Quickly perceiving her Cousins discomfort, Mary asked "shall we leave?"

"Oh, no, she did not care for me; she will find it degrading to confront me in such an informal setting".

As she said this however, Ms. Ingram shot yet another vexed glance at Jane and bend gracefully to her mother and say "I had thought that loathsome little thing would have gone by now? Hasn't Rochester any sense?"

Refusing to grant her satisfaction, Jane continued to browse the shop, unaffected by Blanche's snide comments.

Mary, however, had always held an affectionate sense of protection toward her family, especially in the light of Diana's engagement.

"Excuse me, Madam" she said to Blanche politely, "You appear to have a Meringue in your hair".

Diana snorted with laughter and tried clumsily to disguise it as a cough, while Jane whirled round as she tried to stifle a grin.

Even the clicking ob Blanche's footsteps had a demanding air to them as she heard her approach.

"Ms Eyre" she demanded rather than said or asked.

Turning round slowly, Jane replied "it is Mrs Rochester now. Edward and I married late last year".

As well as Blanche, Lady Ingram also assumed a mocking smirk of disbelief "hardly!" she chortled, gliding over to where Jane and her daughter stood.

"It would almost be vexing if it weren't such…" Lady Ingram's features fell as her sight dropped to Jane's ring finger, which bore the sole inhibitor of the thick banded, antique ring which had gained a small amount of fame amongst a community of moneyhunters.

It was of a faded but stunning gold which indicated ages of being passed down to Rochester brides, Emerald studs framing a Ruby in the centre. It was a ring that Lady Ingram had claimed for her daughter as soon as she came into knowledge of the Rochester fortune.

"It's just not possible!" she exclaimed, her hand smoothing her wrinkled face in disbelief "A _Governess_!" her eyes narrowed into what seemed to be sheer disgust.

Looking briefly around at the attention that they had gained from Lady Ingram's cries, Jane strode out of the shop, maintaining her anger as best she could.

Diana, shocked, stared at the Ingram's questioningly.

"Disgusting little plebs" the Lady sneered.

Mary stepped forward to them calmly "whether you and your family disapprove, my cousin and Mr Rochester are happily married, and, upon encountering you, Madam, I sincerely doubt that your families would have matched well".

Suddenly straightening, she replied in self-satisfied fashion "why don't you shuffle off, now, I think _Mrs Rochester _is in need of assistance". She pointed a bony, bejewelled finger outside at the street, where Jane could be partially seen sprawled onto the snow. The two neglected the Ingram's arrogance and dashed out of the shop.

Within the frantic flurry of people, boxes and bags they could glimpse the darkened hem of her dress "There!" yelled Diana, snatching Mary's hand and manoeuvring them both through to where Jane lay, a small circle of curious onlookers clustering around her.

"Out of the way!" Mary demanded, forgetting etiquette as she received a full image of her friend, fallen in the freezing snow, her hand beginning to twitch with cold.

"Oh my…" Mary whispered; panic stripping her voice as she crouched beside Jane. "Fetch Edward and Arthur; tell them Jane has fallen ill". Diana leapt into action determinedly while Mary shielded her from the crowd.


	7. A Rumbling of Thunder

Jane's mind awoke first, registering happily the softness of the bed she found herself in, the warmth of the blankets, and the tenderness in the hand that was soothingly brushing her cheek and lightly skimming her tumbling hair.

"Jane..?" came a voice beloved and familiar, warm with a secret sweetness.

She opened her eyes to her bedroom, darkened apart from the orange and umber flickers from the fire that swept across the oak panelled walls and along Edward's face as he smiled down at her with relief and joy.

"Hello" she whispered, after pausing to adapt to her new atmosphere.

"Hello to you" he chuckled, stroking her hair preciously. Jane's brow furrowed.

"You fainted in town" he said, tracing the concern on her face instantly, which returned to tighten her features further as she asked "Why?"

"I fetched Dr Carter right away" he said, after chortling "you worried me so terribly."

He kissed her, holding her to him tightly as he whispered "You're pregnant" he said, tears of happiness making his eyes glow in the darkness.

Jane said nothing as a tangible wave of surprise and delight swooped into her body and carried her breath away.

"We're having a baby" he said, barely containing his joy as a tear rolled its shimmering path down his face.

"The doctor said that the baby drained you of energy without alerting you at all" he said

"The Lowood regime had me used to feeling drained, I wouldn't have noticed…" she replied thoughtfully, still dazed from her news.

Edward's brow furrowed "you are happy, aren't you, darling?" he asked, his eyes swelling with gentle expectation.

"Are you?" she asked, surprised.

"Of course I am!" he laughed, true delight sparkling in his smile "a human being made of _us_" he wrapped her fingers in his hand and kissed them.

She watched as he did so. Inside, her heart was maximising tenfold with happiness, but her mind restricted its joy as, marching into consciousness, solemn questions.

"Am I physically capable of bearing a child after years of physical deprivation at Lowood? How would my slight stature complicate the proceedings?"

Edward, however, with any skills of perception blinded by the euphoric prospect of having their new and beloved family extended, lay down next to her in the bed, caressing and smiling into her stomach.


	8. A Nighttime Rainbow

Though outside the Manor the snow dusted the rough grey of the brick to a pearly smoothness, if one were to peer through its windows (particularly the one which provided a full view of the main drawing room, where a large pine tree bristled with a healthy forest green) they would encounter the sight of five people, manoeuvring their way around the tree, carefully arranging their presents to each other.

"And now" Edward chirped as everybody knelt beside the blazing fireplace, relaxing as the room quieted so that just the fire could be heard.

Edward took Jane's hand "we have an announcement which will hopefully serve as an early gift to you all"

Eyebrows twitched and smiles grew "Jane is with child" he said, curling his arms tighter around her in delight.

Their eyes lit up and danced with the flames "oh, how _wonderful_" said Arthur "children are such a blessing to a family"

Jane darted her gaze from the carpet to Arthur. He was pouring his gaze tenderly at Diana, who was absorbing it fervently.

"Have you considered names yet? It has just occurred to me that few names chime well with 'Rochester'" said Mary.

Their conversation continued its lively tone as the firelight waned sleepily before bursting momentarily. Jane watched as the sparks it sent off swirled frantically before soaring downward like hunted birds. They went to their bedchambers as soon as Diana excitedly exclaimed that it was midnight.

* * *

The hands that grasped her arms were cold, skeletal…

A leady, thudding heartbeat was all that was heard apart from words shrieked in coarse, angry accents;

"_if you don't sit still"…"tied down"_

Jane felt her mouth open, but all that poured out was a silent, inward squeak of desperation.

The voices lost all humanity and became growling scrapes at her ears

"_Poor orphan child, poor orphan child!" _they chanted coldly.

With one sharp movement, she sat bolt upright, inching into the awareness that her body was awash with a thin layer of sweat, and that she was shaking rhythmically.

"Jane?" Edwards voice was hushed to a concerned whisper as he held her tightly to him, caressing her hair as he did so "darling, were you having a nightmare?"

She exhaled, relieved and put her arms around him "come, tell me" he said, shaking her slightly with tender but eager impatience.

She withdrew from him and smoothed the sheets, relaxing back into him as she lay down "I dreamt of Gateshead" she answered finally "of the red-room"

He stroked her cheek as she looked at him "promise me" she said suddenly, snatching his hand and pressing it in between her own "we will never treat our child in the same way in which I was".

He returned her concentrated concern in his voice "we will treat our child in the method that you should have been raised with, with love and sweetness" he then added, smiling warmly "and with the most patient and loving mother that nature has to offer". A curious sensation seemed to quell, at least momentarily, the nervousness which had been ailing her, as if a key had been provided to her which would aid her as she lay awake rationalising, exploring each dark nook and cranny of fear with each thought, opening the floodgates to excitement, anticipation and hope.


	9. A Cloud White Morning

When the immaculate white of the sky, ruffled by large plump clouds illuminated Jane's eyelids, she snapped awake and plunged her hands beneath her pillow to slide them into a slit in their mattress.

After fumbling upward through duck feathers, she slipped out a small rectangular box, scarlet tissue paper bound lightly with an olive ribbon.

Biting her lip, she twisted to Edward, gently lifting his arm around her and fitting comfortably into the nook of his arm.

"Edward" she whispered with impatient anticipation. As he shuffled and murmured to life, he dropped his head to the side, joy flooding into his sleep steeped eyes. "Merry Christmas" he whispered back, suddenly smiling broadly as she laid the wrapped box on his chest. "What's this?" he chuckled, snuggling closer to her.

He thumbed the wrapping back carefully to reveal an elegantly decorated bottle of Mandarin & Cedarwood Eau de Cologne.

"Jane" he laughed gratefully "my little sweet"

She looked up at him to register his emotions "is that a blush I detect on your cheeks?" she taunted playfully, curving a finger over his face.

"Perceptive sorceress" he chortled, cocooning them deeper in the caressing warmth of their duvet.

"Thank you" he said, raising one eyebrow flirtatiously "I promise to repay you".

"With Encyclopaedia or art materials?" she laughed in reply, failing to convey mocked innocence.

Relaxing her head on his shoulder, she squinted and cocked her head "you know" she said," You almost look handsome with your hair tousled"

"Almost!" he tittered,"yes, almost!" she giggled,"however…"

She buried both hands in his hair and rapidly shuffled the thick, shaggy shards until there was no angle that was not bristled into by the raven locks.

"There!" she declared triumphantly "now your aesthetics can compete with any man".

He rubbed his eyes lazily as he sighed hopefully "do you think our little one will be as handsome?"

She laid her head back against the pillow and gently ran her fingers over her stomach "beautiful…he or she may far outdo us in appearance!"

"When we discussed names" he said "you were rather quiet on the subject, preoccupied by those nagging fears of yours, no doubt, what say you now on the topic? We shall start with girls' names".

The stillness of reply revealed a candidate name immediately

"Helen?" he whispered.

She smiled at his instinctive knowledge of her thoughts

"It's strange" he continued "my mothers' name was Elizabeth, but she always had her most intimate acquaintances and family call her by her middle name of Helena"

"Helena" Jane replied "perhaps we should consider a name between Helen and Helena, a name like Helene"

Edward's blind eyes illuminated "Helene Rochester" he said dreamily.

"We shall inform Mary that we have found a name immediately" she chirped, throwing the covers over to rise from bed and prepare for Christmas day

Twinkling red candles cast haloes across the Drawing room, but the light in their flickers were outshone by Mary's gleeful smile upon their entrance

"Jane, Ned!" she cried.

Jane felt Edward shiver at his new nickname. "Diana and Arthur are not up yet, I called at their chamber and they said they would be here promptly".

"I cannot wait" said Edward, suddenly excited "Mary, would you care to pass me the gift wrapped in the bright red paper and hand it to Jane". With a knowing grin, Mary complied as they relaxed into the couches and Jane shyly unwrapped the gift.

The gold engraved book she had in her hand read "_World Journal of Art_" by one of Germany's most prominent art specialists, each thick chapter headed with fine and delicate penmanship. Jane flipped through it, wide eyed, carefully with the smooth pages; "_Art of France"; "Art of the Oriental Continent"; "Art of the Iberian Peninsula"; "Art of Italy" _being amongst them. "It's stunning" she said breathlessly, savouring the feeling of being presented with a gift for one of the first times in her life. Edward could sense her emotions brewing, despite her immaculate self-control. "I trust you appreciate it then?" he smiled, circling her in his arms and nudging her against him so that she fell into his embrace.

"Thank you, Edward" she said sincerely, grasping firmly at the secure defence of manners that she retreated into in times of embarrassment and surprise; before doing so utterly, however, she demurely kissed Edward on the cheek as Diana and Arthur's laughter and happy chatting spiralled further and further down the corridor and they both fell into the living room.

"_There_ you are!" Mary cried, slumping back into her chair with mock exasperation "hurry up and exchange your gifts, Jane and Ned are already getting through theirs".

Jane laughed quietly as she cocked her head expectantly to observe Edward's angry jitter.

After the crisp bustle of unwrapping paper had settled like the gentle snowfall and swayed to slight, occasional crinkles, Mary's knock briskly chapped at the door to alert them of the finished preparation of the Christmas meal.


	10. A Christmas Day

The centrepiece of the thick-legged, mahogany table was a gold candleholder with slender taupe candles, each topped with a pristine oval flame in a gem-like twinkle.

"Your house staff must be so fastidious" said Arthur gingerly, both unaware of what to say and in hungry anticipation of the plump, bronze-tinted Turkey on the silver platter; the deep bounties of chestnut-speckled stuffing and roast potatoes heaped like a Pirate's treasure in gleaming bowls.

Upon sliding into their seats with ease and lively talk, a weary but persistently upbeat Mrs Fairfax dawdled through the door with an eager desire to enquire as to the comfort of the guests.

Raising her head abruptly, Jane said "for your information, Mrs Fairfax, all is _not_ well".

All heads at the table swerved toward Jane, visibly taken aback by this supposed spontaneous transformation in her character; all but Edward's, who simply smirked.

"How can all be satisfactory when all of the guests are not present? Please fetch John and Lea and seat them, as well as yourself, at the table with us".

All postures relaxed as Mrs Fairfax stared confusedly at Jane in response "Ma'am?" she said, obviously also empathising with the security that Jane found manners could provide.

"I – we, rather, mean for you to dine with us" said Jane. Still unsure, Mrs Fairfax shot a concerned look over the rest of the table, the residents of which bore nothing but welcoming smiles.

The discussions at the table had grown even merrier with the addition of John, Lea and Mrs Fairfax, as she, Diana and Mary exchanged humorous stories from their old villages, Lea occasionally twittering in a forgotten detail whilst Jane, Edward and Arthur listened, amused and content.

The following summer, Helene Rochester was born after her older brother of five minutes, Abraham.

**P.S:**

**I know Abraham is a traditionally Jewish name, but it's as if literally NO names go with "Rochester"!**


End file.
